My current job is involved with lots of governmental organizations where meeting and networking party are two fundamental parts. The plain fact is that working in this environment in a communist country is not so pleasant. Fake communication is everywhere.

I often join the meals between all the Japanese experts or with a dozen of Vietnamese government officials. It was like a hippie makes her wrong way to a political place. Yesterday dinner was an example.

Being the only one Vietnamese in my project team, I got lost in Japanese while the other people kept speaking in their own language all the time without noticing their only foreign colleague. Instead of feeling like a fish out of water, I was so… free and happy. There was just me with my food.

This is what I learned after such kind of cultural experience:
– It is worth coming out of comfort zone to gain various experiences of FLEXIBILITY. I’m familiar with small and warm party with family and friends doesn’t mean I hate networking party.
– It was a really good chance to learn more about Japanese eating, drinking and greeting culture, to satisfy my CURIOSITY– I’d better lay aside the introversion, egotism, self-importance and preconception to cooperate and make the mutual work smooth and improve the SOCIABILITY– Being free from judgment and hatred, I feed my soul the SYMPATHY– There is no DIFFICULTY, it simply depends on our attitude
– I will never lose my true self in every circumstance, I keep my CONSISTENCY

And this is how I enjoy my meals:– Savor the smell and taste of each bite– Think about Nature– Feel gratitude for the farmers– Count in head until 30 before swallowing

I had to struggle with overweight in many years until realizing that QUALITY is important than quantity. I eat a moderate amount of every vegetarian food. I eat for eating, not for worrying or planning anything afterward. I live for the moment, for the PURITY and SIMPLICITY of the present.

My colleague once told me “Your world is so different from mine, from ours” and here came the answer: “No, we live in the same world, but different style. We have nothing to do but live well on our own way of life”.

The world doesn’t need more successful people. But it does need more happy people. Enjoying my eating ritual makes me become one of them.